1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a substrate treatment apparatus and a substrate treatment method. Exemplary substrates to be treated include semiconductor wafers, substrates for liquid crystal display devices, substrates for plasma display devices, substrates for FED (Field Emission Display) devices, substrates for optical disks, substrates for magnetic disks, substrates for magneto-optical disks, substrates for photo masks, ceramic substrates and substrates for solar cells.
2. Description of Related Art
In production processes for semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display devices and the like, substrates such as semiconductor wafers and glass substrates for the liquid crystal display devices are treated with a treatment liquid.
A substrate treatment apparatus of a single substrate treatment type adapted to treat a single substrate at a time includes a spin chuck which horizontally holds and rotates the substrate, a liquid droplet nozzle which causes liquid droplets of the treatment liquid to impinge on an upper surface of the substrate held by the spin chuck, and a protection liquid nozzle which spouts a protection liquid toward the upper surface of the substrate held by the spin chuck (see, for example, US2012/0247506A1). In this substrate treatment apparatus, the liquid droplet nozzle and the protection liquid nozzle are moved while being maintained in predetermined positional relation.
In the substrate treatment apparatus, the liquid droplet nozzle spouts the treatment liquid toward a region (hereinafter referred to as “spraying region”) on the upper surface of the substrate. Simultaneously with the spouting of the treatment liquid from the liquid droplet nozzle, the protection liquid is spouted from the protection liquid nozzle toward the upper surface of the substrate. The protection liquid spouted from the protection liquid nozzle flows into the spraying region, whereby a liquid film of the protection liquid having a sufficient thickness is formed on the spraying region. Thus, the spraying region is covered with the protection liquid film and, in this state, the treatment liquid droplets impinge on the spraying region.